The shocking announcement that Mateu Alemany would be quitting his job as Director of Football at the end of the season was revealed by Barcelona on Tuesday.
Alemany assumed the position in 2021 after playing a significant role in Mallorca and Valencia. He managed the signings of 19 players for the first team while at Barcelona, according to MD. Some were successful while others weren't.
Alemany's first three signings were all free transfers: Memphis Depay, Eric Garcia, and Sergio Aguero. While Garcia and Aguero arrived from Manchester City, the former joined from Lyon.
Depay had a productive first season at Barcelona, but he dropped down the pecking order in the first part of this season, and in January, he was traded to Atletico Madrid. Garcia is still with the team despite rumors that he may leave in the summer, while Aguero was forced to retire after only six years due to injury.
Early in the summer 2021 transfer window, Emerson Royal made a permanent transfer before being profitably sold a few weeks later. In the summer of 2021, Yusuf Demir and Luuk De Jong (both loans) also joined. De Jong had a passable time in Catalonia, but he didn't exactly light the world on fire. The former failed to live up to his potential and eventually returned to Austria.
Ferran Torres, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Adama Traore (on loan) were recruited during the winter transfer window of 2021/22, while Dani Alves was signed a few months earlier. The other three have since left, with Aubameyang being the only successful signing. Torres is still with Barcelona, despite not having reached his full potential.
Hector Bellerin also joined Barcelona on a free transfer from Arsenal, but he struggled to make an impact and was eventually moved to Sporting CP in January despite being the only natural right back in the team.
Barcelona's financial circumstances prevented them from formally signing anyone in January, while a deal for Julian Araujo was reached with LA Galaxy. Due to incomplete documentation, the move was not authorized in the winter; nevertheless, he will join this summer.
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